North America's Top 50+ Beaches
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Edisto Beach // USA
Meredith Harris Edisto Beach is the name of both the beach and the surrounding town of around 400 residents, most of whom commute from here. A vacation spot since the 1920s, today Edisto Beach is one of just a handful of largely uncommercialised, family-friendly beaches located in the region.
Although only stretching a few metres back, the beach runs uninterrupted for around four… read more »
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Myrtle Beach // USA
The ed17 Since 1949 Myrtle Beach has also been known locally as the Grand Strand, separating it from the city of Myrtle Beach which stands on its landward side for just a small stretch of its staggering 60 miles. Because of its size, its sands are also sometimes subdivided into north, central and south areas, with most of the top attractions located… read more »
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Gulf Shores // USA
John Tuggle Gulf Shores Beach is located immediately south of the downtown area of the town of the same name. Lining the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, this particular stretch of brilliant white sand runs for approximately four miles, although include neighbouring beaches and this length can be more than doubled.
Largely unaffected by the 2010 oil spill, as well… read more »
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Sombrero Beach // USA
Franz Stellbrink A cosy backyard playground for Islanders, this is one of the best kept beach secrets in the Florida Keys and is located on Marathon Key. Visitors to this beach get to enjoy the soft sand and turquoise waters. It's not a large beach but your little piece of "sand estate" can be claimed regardless if it is crowded. There's plenty… read more »
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Coco Plum Beach // USA
© rjlerich Coco Plum Beach is one of the more naturalistic of beach settings within the chain of islands which make up the Florida Keys and is generally less crowded than others in the area. Enjoying the warm shallows of the Atlantic Ocean around the town on Marathon, it backs onto wetlands that provide a vital habitat for the region's bird and… read more »
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Miramar Beach // USA
Positioned on an attractive stretch of Gulf of Mexico coastline, it's no surprise that Miramar Beach in Destin has its fair share of beachside condos and apartments for rent. During the summer months, its permanent population of approximately 6,000 residents is dwarfed massively by visitors keen to enjoy the powdery white sands for themselves.
Sunbathers looking to soak up the… read more »
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Long Beach // USA
Greg Gjerdingen You'll find this golden stretch of sand along California's southern coastline, just a 30-minute drive away from Los Angeles.
All the essentials are in place here, including lifeguard posts, showers, restrooms, and lots of parking spots nearby. And there's a promenade backing on to the beach that is particularly popular with cyclists and skaters.
As for the beach itself, there's usually… read more »
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Smathers Beach (Key West) // USA
Although Key West isn't famous for its great beaches, Smathers Beach is worth a visit. This gorgeous beach is walking distance from the airport with warm water that stays shallow for quite a distance out into the sea, so it's a perfect place to splash around with the kids.
Keep in mind that although the sand feels nice, it tends… read more »
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Coney Island Beach // USA
Brooklyn's iconic seafront is home to a generous stretch of sand backed by a boardwalk and vast array of amusements. This is the beach people instantly think about when you mention NYC beaches, and judging by the summer crowds it is the one they go to as well!
Only marginally less busy than nearby Rockaway, Coney Island beach is guaranteed… read more »
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Orchard Beach // USA
Bebo2good1 A lovely broad stretch of clean sand, Orchard Beach edges Pelham Bay for a length of well over a mile. Brought to a definitive stop at either end of the bay by stone seawalls, it faces out towards Long Island from the East Bronx on Long Island Sound.
Part of Pelham Bay Park, the beach is subdivided into 13 sections backed… read more »
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South Beach (Staten Island) // USA
Tommy Miles With beautiful views back towards Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, South Beach is a long stretch of sand where Upper Bay opens out into Gravesend Bay. Its northeast end – closest to the bridge, is edged by Battery Hudson historic landmark and the Camp Gateway campground, while its opposite end runs into Midland Beach without a break. The Franklin D Roosevelt boardwalk and… read more »
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Cedar Beach // USA
Terry Ballard A landscape as far from the skyscrapers of New York City as it's possible to get, New York State's Cedar Beach in Babylon lies on the long and narrow Jones Beach Island, itself off the southern shores of Long Island. Facing out into the waters of the New York Bight, Cedar Beach comprises a huge area of broadly flat… read more »
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Jones Beach // USA
thelittleone417 This six mile white sand beach faces out into the Atlantic Ocean from the chain of islands that form the southern extent of New York's Long Island. Although one of the most popular and most visited beaches in the region, its size helps to ensure it never feels overly crowded, even on busy summer days.
Named after a seventeenth-century militiaman, Jones… read more »
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Playa La Punta // Mexico
Darij Zadnikar Playa La Punta is a semi-officially recognised subdivision of Playa Zicatela in Puerto Escondido. Forming the hook of Zicatela's hockey stick shape, it curves around the Pacific Ocean facing both to the north and the west – making it an ideal spot to check out the nightly sunsets.
Playa La Punta is also a favourite with surfers. Its point… read more »
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Hidden Beach // USA
© fyletto Nevada's Hidden Beach isn't actually all that hard to find, being accessible from Highway 28 just over half a mile south of the village of Incline. It's here you'll find the nearest parking. A walking and biking trail then leads to the beach, with many visitors unloading close by before parking, rather than carrying their gear all the way.
Around 200… read more »
